Apparatus for manufacturing glass.



- PATENTED 00212.2(),1903.

J. HIRST. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1903.

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No. 742,028. PATENTED OUT. 20, 1903.

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APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GLASS. APPLICATION IlLBD Jun 12, 1903.

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NITED' STATES Fatented'october e0, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS Foe MANUFACTURING GLASS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 0. 742,028, dated October20, 1903. Application filed June 12,1903. Serial No. 161,224. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES HIRST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vineland, Cumberland county, New Jersey, have inventedcertain Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Glass, of which thefollowing is a specification. H

My invention relates to the manufacture of plate and window glass; andit consists of a newand improved apparatus for manufactur lug suchsheet-glass without the necessity of making the preliminary cylinders ofglass, which are afterward cut and split and then put through the usualflattening process.

The process of manufacturing glass by means of the apparatus constructedin accordance with my invention formsthe subject of a companionapplication filed of even date herewith, Serial No. 161,223.

My present invention, relating to the appatus for carrying out myimproved process, is fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is an elevation of the machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of apart of the apparatus, taken onthe line a a, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is anenlarged sectional view taken on the line b b, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is asectional view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating a modification of myinvention; and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line c,Fig. 4.

In the apparatus forming the subject ofmy present invention, which Iemploy in carrying out the process forming the subject of the companionapplication before referred to, 1 represents the mold table or bed uponwhich the mass of glass is spread, which table is preferably mounted ona firm solid base, 2 the recessed portion of the same in which the sheetof glass is formed,and 3 the air-tight shell or cover, preferably squarein section, which is caused to descend and inclose the surface of thetable and the glass, spread upon the The table is provided with a groove4, adapted to receive the edges of this cover, and this groove isprovided with any suitable form of packing material (indicated at 6) inorder that an air-tight joint may be maintained at this point. Theweight of the shell ing the recessed portion of thetable, which framemay be removed after the glass has been rolled and will thereby providea space to facilitate the removal of the sheet of glass.

The roller 8 is carried by the cover 3, the sides of the same beinggrooved at 10 to support and guide the end spindles 11 of the 'roller,and this roller may be moved across the mold table or bed in anysuitable manner. In the drawings I have shown two forms of mechanism foraccomplishing this result. In Figs. 1, 4, and 6 I have shown a pendulum:

arm 15, pivotally mounted on a cross-shaft 16, which is arranged to berocked, so as to move this pendulum-arm (and another mounted on theopposite end of the shaft and shown in Fig. 6) back and forth. Thesependulumarms have forked ends 17, arranged to engage the spindles 11 ofthe roller, whereby the latter may be moved across the table. The shaft16, carrying the pendulum-arms, is oscillated by means of a handle 18.In order to permit the passage of the pendulumarms past the center ofthe mold table or bed, the latter is slotted at 19, as clearlyshown inFigs. 4t and 6.

In Fig. 5 a chain is employed to move the roller 8, such chain passingover sprocketwheels 21 and 22, mounted on opposite ends of the shell orcover 3, one of such sprocketwheels being driven by means of a handle23. (Shown in dotted lines.) By preference a chain is mounted on eachside of the cover. These shells carry collars or depending members 24:,arranged to engage the spindles 11 of the roller, and by this'means theroller may be moved back and forth as the chains are traversed, thespindles of the same turning in the collars or depending members 24.

In Fig. 4 the roller is shown just before the rolling operationcommences, while in Fig. 5 the roller has passed over the mass of glassand has flattened it into sheet form.

The shell or cover 3 carries threaded members 25;by means of which it islowered onto the mold table or bed with the 'aid of other suitablemechanism. At the center of the top of this shell connection is madewith a ICC tube leading from the source of air-pressure, and a valve 26is employed to control the same. In lieu of this arrangement severalinlets may be provided for the air under pressure, as may be desirableor expedient.

The supports for the cover 3 are indicated at 25 and comprisevertically-moving threaded rods or spindles firmly secured to said coverat 30 and having gear-wheels 31, which act as nuts and serve when turnedto raise and lower'such threaded rods and with them the cover-3. Thesegear-wheels are driven by means of a central wheel 32, mounted on ashort shaft 33, which also carries a drivingpulley 34:, by means ofwhich the gear-wheels 32 and 31 are turned, so that the movement of thegears engaging the threaded spindles will be uniform, and therebyinsuring the lowering of the bell-cover in a uniform manner and withsome amount of force.

The gear-wheels are held against vertical movement by means ofretaining-collars 35, and by preference the central wheel 32 is providedwith a ball-bearing 36. When in operation, it is necessary that thecover 3 be dropped onto the mold table or bed as quickly as possible,and by this means friction will be lessened and the movement of thegears rendered very much easier. When the covers are dropped onto themolds or tables, an airtight chamber is formed, and consequently themeans for moving the roll must pass through a properly-packed gland inorder that there can be no leakage at this point.

Instead of arranging the shell or cover to be bodily raised from themold table or bed it may be raised slightly and then moved to one side.The bed also maybe movable from under the shell or cover, and a seriesof beds may be employed, to which such shell or cover may be moved toperform the necessary operations. I

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows: The glass is firstpoured onto the mold table or bed, having a perfectly-level top with atrue plane surface, which is preferably highly polished. After the glasshas been placed on this table I cause the airtight shell or cover 3 todescend and inclose the entire surface of the mold table or bed and theglass carried by the same. This cover carries the roller 8, ofsufficient weight to roll the glass on the mold table or bed to apredetermined thickness, and I prefer to carry out this rollingoperation under air-pressure. The roller is passed from one end of thetable to the other one or more times, as may be necessary, and the glassis thereby evenly spread over the entire surface of such table. Iregulate the thickness of the plate by the depth of the recess, and tofacilitate the removal of the sheet of glass I may employ the framefitting the walls of this recess. After this has been done I increasethe air-pressure within the shell or cover to the highest possiblepoint, and this pressure being directed evenly over the entire surfaceof the glass causes the same to be pressed in a firm and even manner onthe metal table, receiving thereby from the even pressure of air on oneside and the polished surface of the table on the other a true smoothsurface which requires uo subsequent rubbing or other treatment.

The mold table or bed is preferably heated before the glass is placedupon the same to insure the plasticity of the glass. After the sheet ofglass has been finished and set it may be removed in any suitable mannerand taken to a leer and tempered in the usual way.

Numerous modifications of my invention will naturally suggestthemselves. Hence I do not wish to be limited to the preciseconstruction and arrangement of parts shown herewith; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, of atable to receive the glass, means for rolling said glass, and means fordirecting air under pressure over the upper surface of the glass.

2. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, of atable to receive the glass, an air-tight cover adapted to inclose theupper surface of the table and the glass, a roller arranged to pass overthe glass, and means for supplying air under pressure to said cover forthe purpose of acting on the upper surface of said glass.

3. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, of atable to receive the mass of glass, an air-tight cover adapted toinclose the upper surface of the table and glass, means for raising andlowering said cover, a roller arranged to'pass over the glass, and meansfor supplying air under pressure to said cover for the purpose of actingon said glass.

4. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, of atable to receive the mass of glass, an air-tight cover adapted toinclose the upper surface of the table and glass, a roller carried bysaid cover, means for moving said roller across the mass of glass whileinclosed by the cover, and means for supplying air under pressure tosaid cover for the purpose of acting on the glass.

5. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, of thetable arranged to receive the glass, a frame in which said table ismounted, a cover carried by said frame, means for raising and loweringsaid cover onto the table, means for packing said cover when loweredonto the table, and means for introducing air-pressure to said coverafter it has been lowered onto the table.

6. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet glass, of atable arranged to receive the glass, said table having a smooth, trueand highly-polished surface, a frame in which said table is fixed,acover arranged to inclose the top of the table and the glass carriedthereby, threaded spindles carried by said cover, nuts engaging saidspindies and means for turning said nuts whereby the cover may be raisedand lowered.

7. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, of thetable having a recess to receive the glass, said table having a smooth,true and highly-polished surface, a cover adapted to inclose the uppersurface of the table, means for packing the same, a roller carried bysaid cover and adapted to act on the glass, means carried on the outsideof the cover for moving the roller, and means for supplying air underpressure to said cover for the purpose of acting on the glass.

8. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, of themold-table upon which the glass ispoured, a. frame in which said tableis mounted, a cover arranged to inclose the table and the glass upon thesame, the table being grooved to receive the edge of the cover andhaving packing material in said groove, threaded spindles carried by thecover, gear-wheels mounted in the frame and engaging said threadedspindles, an intermediate gear-wheel for moving the wheels in engagementwith the threaded spindles, and means for moving said intermediategear-wheel.

9. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, of themold-table arranged to receive the glass, a cover arranged to inclosethe table and glass, a roller carried by said cover, the latter beinggrooved on the sides to receive the end spindle of the roller whereby itmay be supported by the cover, means arranged outside the cover formoving the roller, such means having members within the cover engagingthe spindles thereof and permitting the ready turning of the roller, andmeans for packing such operating means at the point where it passesthrough the cover.

10. The combination in an apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass, ofthe mold-table upon which the glassis poured, said table having a true,smooth and highly-polished surface, a frame in which said table ismounted, a cover arranged to inclose said table and the glass poured onthe same, means for packing said cover, supports for said cover, meansfor lowering said supports, a roller carried thereby arranged to actupon the glass after the cover is lowered, means for operating saidroller and for packing such operating mechanism, and means forintroducing air under pressure into the chamber formed by said cover.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES I-IIRST.

Witnesses:

MURRAY 0. BOYER, JAMES C. KRAYER.

